


Heartless

by silkiemae



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M, i wrote this so long ago, this is set during the sixth year, this was such a melancholy story, when poor draco is suffering with his having to kill dumblydore
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2019-02-08
Packaged: 2019-02-10 18:22:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 21
Words: 15,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12917604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/silkiemae/pseuds/silkiemae
Summary: i must admire your skill. you are so gracefully insane. ’ ~ anne sexton .





	1. Back to Hogwarts

Summer was coming to an end as it often did. The leaves were just beginning to decay, turning bronze, maroon and gold, colors one could easily associate with autumn. They would fall from the branches they had desperately clung to for the majority of the summer season and drift along onto the dying grass. While the heat blew away with the breeze, the wonders of the summer sun left—replaced by a great orange sun. Autumn took its place, and with it brought a single letter marked to Mercury Halvard from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.  
  
Mercury couldn’t help but smile every time that parcel flew through her parents’ mail slot. She could certainly never resign herself from tearing it open, rather unladylike, bits of paper flying about the kitchen table. The emblem of Hogwarts gleaming up at her as she read the letter aloud to her parents—who smiled and rolled their eyes because after all, this was _only_ the sixth time they’ve heard the letter.  
  
Once the letter came and Mercury pinned it to her wall to join the five other letters she’d received, each one slightly altered according to her grade and the spell books she would need, she would write letters to her two closest friends. Missy Eisler and Graham Lester, who had started dating sometime in the middle of their fourth year, would receive these letters with clear instructions to meet Mercury outside of Flourish and Blotts’ on August 28th.  
  
On August 28th, Mercury would make the trip by floo powder to Diagon Alley, supervised by Mrs. Halvard, and grin at the rush of students flitting in and out of the standard shops. However this year it wasn’t as busy as it should’ve been, and that might have had something to do with the fact that You-Know-Who was back, but Mercury simply cleared her throat and made her way to Flourish and Blotts. This trip to Diagon Alley would be rather rushed because no one wanted to stay out too late, and the fact that Mercury’s mother insisted on accompanying her this year was incredibly bothersome to Mercury. But she supposed it must be necessary. In fact, she was so rushed that she never got to meet up with Graham and Missy.  
  
Even her disappointment at the broken tradition couldn’t ruin the excitement of boarding the Hogwarts Express however. Mr. Halvard was always able to come and join his wife in order to his daughter off, but was unable to do so this year to the utter disappointment of both Mrs. Halvard and Mercury. But the two managed together, and trotted through Platform 9 ¾ . After saying her goodbyes to her mother she boarded the train and found an empty compartment, keeping an eye out for Missy and Graham.  
  
Finally, Mercury was able to sit back and take a breath. She refused to let her sixth year be ruined by things that she could do nothing about. So she simply, closed her eyes and when she heard the compartment door creak open she smiled to herself, expecting to find Graham and Missy walking in with their fingers interlocked. Instead, a white blonde head peered in at her and something clenched in Mercury’s chest.  
  
Draco Malfoy stared at her for a moment longer than necessary—before apologizing harshly and slamming the door shut. That clenched feeling in her chest didn’t loosen for quite some time as she continued to glare at the spot his head had disappeared. However, a moment later the door opened again and a curvy girl with turquoise hair popped in the compartment. Mercury’s chest seemed to feel light as air when she caught sight of Missy. The two squealed, as excited friends often do, and embraced.  
  
“Where’s Graham?” Mercury asked, glancing around behind her for Missy’s tawny-haired boyfriend. Missy simply shrugged, before setting a carrying cage on the seat opposite Mercury. Curious, Mercury peered in at the animal that Missy had not had before.  
  
“Dad got me a ferret for my birthday,” Missy said with obvious contempt in her voice as she peered at the chirping creature. “I think he thought it would make up for the fact that he’s _never_ home and it did for about two days. It’s _so_ annoying, Mercury! And it stinks, too!”  
  
Mercury chuckled, sticking her finger through the thin bars to scratch the creature’s belly. “I think it’s sweet. Have you named him?”  
  
“Graham suggested Bogey, since he smells like it. But I decided I’d name him Gilderoy.”  
  
Mercury snorted in disgust. “You’re still on about that Lockhart bloke? He was _awful_.”  
  
“I don’t care he’s dreamy.”  
  
Mercury rolled her eyes as Missy sat down and a few moments of uninterrupted chatter filled the compartment as they discussed how summer had gone. Though it was seemingly uneventful for both of them considering how strict security was nowadays, and the fact that there was now curfew.  
  
The compartment only opened three more times. Once because the witch who pushed the trolley full of sweets came by and Mercury bought about a dozen chocolate frogs while Missy watched in amusement as she devoured them. Once because Graham finally came in to join them saying something about a heated Quidditch debate with Dean Thomas, and once for a second white blonde head. Though this one was very different than the first. Luna Lovegood peered into the compartment with a dazed smile on her lips as she chirped ‘Quibbler’ and handed three magazines to Mercury. She then disappeared and Mercury decided it was probably time to get changed into their school robes. Graham disappeared to go change while Missy and Mercury shut the blinds and changed in their compartment.  
  
When the train finally lurched to a stop and all the students unloaded to stationary ground, Mercury clung to Missy and Graham and found an empty carriage, which they managed to take alone up to Hogwarts. This was probably even better than the train ride, which hadn’t been that extraordinary this year. Looking up at Hogwarts and seeing it glow in the distance made her chest glow and that tight feeling she had experience earlier seemed to be completely forgotten. All that mattered now was a new year and hopefully one much better than the last.


	2. The Dove

When Graham, Missy and Mercury entered the Great Hall, a great feeling of warmth spread through Mercury’s chest. Finally, she was here. She had a feeling that almost every student in the grand castle considered this place something of a home. She grinned at the ceiling that showed the sky outside, now clear and dotted with twinkling stars—and the four house tables slowly filling up. She was instantly pulled over to the Ravenclaw table, the familiar blue banners decorating the wooden tables.  
  
She sat with her friends, her back facing the Slytherin table, and waited eagerly for the sorting to end and the feast to begin. As she glanced up at the table where the teachers sat she found herself smiling even wider as she watched the Headmaster, Professor Dumbledore deep in conversation with her Transfiguration teacher, Professor McGonagall.  
  
Students around her were chatting and she eavesdropped on other’s conversations without truly listening to them, peering over at the Gryffindor table, curious to see the ever-famous Harry Potter. She had kept up with the _Daily Prophet_ over the summer and he practically filled the entire contents of it, of course she hardly bothered to listen to the _Prophet_ anymore, all things considered. But as she searched she only found the bushy-haired Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley.  
  
Her thoughts of where he could possibly be vanished as the first year students filed in and the sorting began. Mercury had never truly been fond of the Sorting Hat business. Sure, the Sorting Hat itself was a wonderful…specimen, but after that first year of being sorted oneself, it sort of became dull. Mercury would rather get straight to the feast rather than just watch first years be sorted one by one. It never went by quickly and it was all so noisy with the applauding.  
  
She had difficulty adjusting to the overall loudness of Hogwarts. Of course, she loved almost everything about it, but after spending time in a house where the only loudness was the occasionally ‘meow’ from her Aunt’s cats, it was a bit overbearing.  
  
“ ** _Ravenclaw!_** ”  
  
Mercury had jumped into applause as another first year joined their table. Graham and Missy were both staring with excitement around the slowly growing table, and Mercury for some reason, couldn’t share that excitement. On the way to Hogwarts, she had been nothing but chipper but things were becoming only too clear that this year would be much different than the ones before.  
  
Of course, she doubted anything could be as awful as when Umbridge had control of the school. Her hand still ached with the memory of that awful Quill. She shuddered before turning to force herself to pay attention to Dumbledore’s yearly speech. She hardly registered the shock of the general public to the fact that Snape was now the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. It was bound to happen after all his attempts at getting the position—and perhaps the new Potions Master would be slightly more friendly than Professor Snape. She watched him for a moment, wanting nothing more than to wash the curtains of greasy black hair that framed his face. Maybe since he finally had the position he wanted he’d be slightly more bearable.  
  
Eventually, Mercury zoned out, staring off into the sea of new and familiar students. She could easily make out Beatrice Strudel combing the hair of her latest boyfriend. Then there was Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan throwing bits of exploding paper at Neville Longbottom who was cowering amongst the miniature flames.  
  
Though when she glanced behind her, almost reluctantly to check out the new faces of the Slytherin’s that unpleasant clenching caught at her gut again. She immediately turned back to face Graham and Missy—unwilling to get shouted at by Pansy Parkinson for ‘sticking her big nose where it didn’t belong’. She couldn’t bear to watch the girl run her fingers through Draco’s hair, it made her sick.  
  
Finally, the food appeared and Mercury barely avoided getting her arm drowned in pudding. The second Dumbledore sat, the entirety of each house dove for the food. Mercury darted in and out and was pleased with her selection of potatoes and roast beef before scooping them into her mouth.  
  
As she was eating, something hit the back of her head, and she almost expected it to explode like the ones Dean Thomas and Seamus Finnigan had been tossing around. But it merely fluttered into her lap. A piece of paper shaped like a dove laid there, its wings still flapping feebly. She opened it, only for little fireflies to burst out and land on the front of her robes. She cried out, patting desperately until finally it was out.  
  
It didn’t take a genius to figure out who had thrown it, and she figured she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of her fiery gaze. She merely sat back down before scooping some more potatoes onto her place. Graham caught her eye and frowned before she shook her head sharply and continued eating.


	3. From Father to Son

Draco hadn’t slept that night. Or the night before. Possibly not the night before that either but who was counting anymore? He had been given a task, an impossible task, but one that had to be done. It was truly the only thing on his mind. So much so that he couldn’t even bring himself up to his old tricks.  
  
The only thing truly ‘Draco-like’ he had done was bash Harry Potter’s nose in, and while that was satisfying for a moment or so, it couldn’t hold his mind. He had found himself in the common room after the annual beginning of the year feast, and he had stayed there the rest of the night.  
  
It wasn’t until the early hours of the morning that he brought himself to stand, but he didn’t go to his bed. Instead he left the common room, escaping through the dungeons and into the main hall of Hogwarts. Dumbledore had forbidden exiting the castle under any circumstances unless under the supervision of a Prefect or a teacher. Luckily, Draco _was_ a Prefect so he could see no reason for him to find any sort of trouble while he escaped the confines of the castle.  
  
He couldn’t keep his thoughts under control as he wandered aimlessly along the grounds. Whether or not Quidditch would continue this year and should he remain Seeker, or how he was supposed to carry out the deed that was given to him. The mark on his arm burned by the thought of the giver of said-task. The summer before hadn’t been like the others. It hadn’t been flirting shamelessly with any pretty thing that passed by and it certainly hadn’t been talking about how disgusting Mudbloods were with Crabbe and Goyle. Though the disgust of Mudbloods was certainly brought up many times. Even Half bloods were a part of this disgust. They were no longer welcome in their world, and even Draco felt like it was a bit much. There would hardly be anyone left.  
  
Wrapped in his thoughts he hadn’t realized he had wandered just beyond the Forbidden Forest. He immediately turned, but found a flash of pale skin enter his vision. He frowned, deciding as Prefect it was his duty to follow his gut and find out what this was. Though, he couldn’t truly deny the pit of fear in his throat.  
  
As he shoved past a few rather hefty bushes and trees, he found a hiding spot behind a thick tree trunk. He peered around it, to find a white blond head that could rival his own head of hair, reaching toward the skeletal beasts that had taken them to Hogwarts earlier that day. Draco had heard myths of these things. One could only see them after witnessing death—and Draco had witnessed more death than he would’ve liked to this summer. He soon recognized the white-blond head of hair to belong to Luna Lovegood. She turned to greet someone after a moment and, of course, it was Harry Potter.  
  
Draco found himself snarling under his breath; he almost darted out from his hiding place to call them out. Bring them to justice where detention was sure to be greeted to the both of them. It was clear they had been here several times before, and maybe Draco could get that against the two of them. It was a pity those special quills of Umbridge’s were taken with her.  
  
But just as he was about to call the two out, he could hear someone shouting. It was more of a whispering shout, but it sounded like it was saying his name. He turned then, and saw yet another blond head—though it was no longer the vibrant white blond it had once been. It was graying from stress and fear. He frowned before, looking back longingly at Luna and Harry, and then turned to follow the voice.  
  
He almost wasn’t surprised to find his father sitting on a log just on the edge of the forbidden forest. His hair was matted down with dirt and sticks stuck out of it. Draco frowned at his father’s disheveled appearance but sat beside him obediently.  
  
“Have you thought of a way, yet?” Lucius questioned, his tone sharp as he gazed distractedly around the forest. He was well aware of the bounty above his head, but he had to find favor from Draco, after his…failure.  
  
“Not yet, father.”  
  
“Well think of something quickly!” Lucius hissed, glancing at his son with disgust. He cleared his throat as he watched his son wince under his unwavering gaze. With a quivering hand, he grasped his son’s shoulder. “We must find redemption with our Lord, Draco. You are the only one who can do that. And you can do that _without_ Severus, do you understand me Draco?”  
  
Draco swallowed while the weight crashed down upon his shoulders once again. He glanced down at his own trembling hands before nodding his head slowly. “Yes, father.” It was not a moment later that his father released his shoulder and with a loud _pop_ he was gone.


	4. Homework Thief

Classes had been going on for almost a week now and Mercury couldn’t see past the pile of papers on her desk. Concentration wasn’t coming to her easily, either. Either it was the common room that held couples snogging or people who just couldn’t bring themselves to care—her bedroom which was filled with overachievers so they didn’t have hardly anything to do, or there was of course the grand hall but there was food and chess players and that was all just too tempting. So instead, Mercury resorted to the library, and while there was still the rare whisper, it wasn’t hardly as bad as her other options.  
  
She had managed to power through half of what she once had in the span of four hours. Four hours of which felt like four days, but lucky for Mercury she now had a full weekend to get through the rest. As much as she would’ve loved to get through it all right at that moment there was a pounding in her head, and a rather loud hunger monster in her belly.  
  
After putting everything away she made her way to the grand hall where it was now filled to the brim. Different houses sat together, mixing and mingling with new and old friends. Graham and Missy were nowhere near to be found, which was a slight relief—they would only pose as a distraction for Mercury, and therefore no more homework would be completed.  
  
Quickly she managed to inhale her food, a chicken breast drizzled with honey mustard and a side of mashed potatoes, and then back to the library it was. But as luck would have it, her spot was stolen—but that’s not really what upset her. What upset her was the fact that her homework was nowhere to be found. None of it except her quill which was now clutched in the hand of a white-blonde head.  
  
She swallowed tightly, her fists clenching automatically and anger bubbling in her throat. She should’ve looked around for it, but level-headed was not a trait Mercury possessed so she simply marched up to the boy holding her quill and shoved at his shoulder. He turned around, and she was momentarily stunned into silence by the ice blue eyes gazing up at her. It took her a minute to come up with any accusations other than stand there angrily.  
  
“What do you want?” he asked, clearly annoyed.  
  
Jutting her finger out at him, Mercury growled, “that’s my quill. Give it back, Draco.”  
  
She didn’t miss the momentary cringe as his first name was spat at him, no doubt he was so used to being called ‘Malfoy’ that ‘Draco’ had become foreign to him. But then a lazy grin formed on his lips and he began twirling the quill in his fingers. “Or what?” When Mercury couldn’t come up with an answer, he found another retort. His eyes ran over the quill, “I don’t see your name on it.”  
  
“Oh shut up!” Mercury managed to snatch the quill from his hand and then point it accusatorily at him. “Did you steal my papers too?”  
  
“Please, I have better things to do then steal your _homework_ ,” he scoffed before standing up. “Why don’t you bother someone else, _Mercury_.”  
  
Mercury let him walk away then. Old memories were dredging up at the sound of her name, and the way he said it. She closed her eyes and shook her head, willing away those images and sat down momentarily forgetting about her missing homework and the fact that the bastard had probably stolen it.  
  
Then she found a slip of paper just where he had previously been sitting. She frowned, before taking it and opening it.  
  


_**If you want your homework back meet me in the Prefect’s bathroom.** _

  
  
Mercury cursed and found no other option then to do as the note suggested.


	5. The Prefect's Bathroom

Mercury clutched the note in her hand as she made her way to the Prefect’s bathroom. It was a much farther walk than she had anticipated and by the time she made it there she had a feeling it was about time to head back to the common room. But the slight sense of adventure in her gut told her that she’d already made it this far, so why not press on? Plus, she really needed that homework back.  
  
When she finally found the door to the Prefect’s bathroom there were only a few stragglers here and there. She checked for Filch and for any Professor that might be sneaking by before taking a deep breath and entering the bathroom.  
  
Something in her stomach crumpled when she entered the restroom. What if this was some stupid prank? What if it wasn’t even meant for her? Parts of her felt like it was a Death Eaters trap, but she highly doubted that someone would elaborate this much just for her— and there was no way a Death Eater could get into Hogwarts, especially with Dumbledore in control. No, she was surely safe from that.  
  
She was shocked at how large the Prefect’s bathroom actually was. There were several private stalls, an enormous sink much like the ones in the rest of the bathroom and then an enormous bath. She wondered what the girl’s version of the bathroom must look like. A portrait of a giggling mermaid hung above the bath and she was almost tempted to strip down and dive in and test out the numerous faucets.  
  
“Good, you made it.”  
  
Immediately, her body tensed. She knew that voice, and though she liked to pretend that she had nothing to do with it, she couldn’t deny the shivers it sent down her spine. She turned, and faced the same boy she had seen just hours before. Draco had lost his robes and stood before her in just his white button-up and his green striped tie and trousers. His sleeves were pushed up and he leaned against one of the many columns, that obnoxious smirk on his face.  
  
“Give me my papers, Draco.”  
  
Just then, Mercury realized how tired she truly sounded. How tired of keeping this charade of not caring or knowing anything about this boy. She just wanted her papers, and she just wanted to go to sleep. Draco shook his head, before pushing himself off the wall and closing the gap between them.  
  
He left a few feet of space between them, but that didn’t help the sense of claustrophobia Mercury was suddenly feeling. “Draco, please. I don’t have time for this. I really need to get my homework done.”  
  
Draco let out a dry laugh then, before throwing a folder on the ground at his feet she hadn’t noticed before. She glanced down and caught the sight of her familiar scrawl. She was tempted to take them and run but she had a feeling it wouldn’t be that easy, especially with Draco standing so close.  
  
“When are you going to stop pretending last year didn’t happen?”  
  
Now that exhaustion was really pressing down on her. She really just wanted to sit on the ground and sleep right then and there. She couldn’t take this, couldn’t force herself to relive that year. While there were so many terrible moments of it, she still rather enjoyed herself. She remembered it more fondly than anything else, but she didn’t want those memories. Not now, not ever.  
  
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. Now, if you’ll step aside.”  
  
Draco caught hold of her arm as she moved to get her papers. “You know damn well what I’m talking about, Halvard.”  
  
She wrenched her arm from his grip then, “don’t call me that,” she hissed.  
  
Just then the door opened and a swooping cloak sped in. Fear gripped her chest as she stared at Professor Snape. She wasn’t used to being in such close quarters with him, at least not when there weren’t at least twenty other people with her. Between Draco and Snape she wasn’t sure whom she was more apprehensive around.  
  
“What is the meaning of this?” Snape snapped, glancing between Draco and Mercury.  
  
Draco cleared his throat, “I was just in the middle of giving this student a detention, Professor. She seemed to think she could slip into the Prefect’s bathroom for a bath.”  
  
“You son of a bitch!” Mercury hissed. “Professor, he blackmailed me. He stole my homework, I didn’t have a choice—“  
  
“Ten points from Ravenclaw, Miss. Halvard. You will fulfill this detention with Mr. Malfoy, and do whatever he deems necessary.” There was a long pause as Mercury stared at Snape with pure astonishment and disgust, forcing herself not to look at Draco. “Gather your things, and get to your dormitory…now.”  
  
Mercury stooped and scrambled to get her papers before shoving past Draco and Professor Snape and stomping to her dormitory, forcing back hot tears.


	6. Detention with Malfoy

Mercury was still wiping furiously at her eyes when she finally reached the doorway to the Ravenclaw tower. She needed to be calm if she wanted to enter the common room, and then she could break down in her room. The girls in her dorm were all incredibly heavy sleepers and the only thing that would wake them up is the sun peeking in their rooms. Her only worry was running into Missy or Graham, then she would have to explain herself and how on earth would she be able to explain that she was in tears because Snape caught her in the Prefect’s bathroom with Draco Malfoy of all people and now she was forced to take detention with Draco.  
  
She could only imagine what that would entail. Sure, she’d probably only be forced to scrub the trophies clean or something if it were anyone else, but it was Draco and Draco was determined for answers. There was no way she would leave that detention without giving them to him—he wouldn’t dream of letting her.  
  
After a few quick breaths she faced the eagle shaped doorknocker. It seemed to sense that she was ready for the riddle because it spoke to her almost immediately.  
  
“ _What two things can you never eat for breakfast?_ ”  
  
“Lunch and dinner,” Mercury muttered. The door then swung open and Mercury trudged inside. After a moment of glancing round the common room to make sure there was no one to question her puffy eyed appearance she sprinted to her own dorm. Another moment of making sure there was no one awake she dropped her belongings dropped onto her bed and buried her head into her pillow. The tears that she had been holding back, however, did not come and she was left with a hollow feeling of pure annoyance in her gut.  
  
It was a week of dodging Missy and Graham’s questions and Draco’s ever watchful-eye. Even Snape seemed to be watching her every move, as if he thought that one move she made would cause something to explode. After a week of focusing on nothing but making it through till Friday, and forcing herself to complete her assignments, it was finally time for her detention with Draco.  
  
She slipped back to the common room to leave her robes and books behind and then met Draco in the Great Hall. He looked the same as the last time she had been this close to him—albeit a bit disheveled. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in weeks; their were dark circles beneath his eyes, and his hair looked as if it were straining to stay against his skull.  
  
He saw her and gave her a tired smirk, before extending his arm to her. “Shall we?” Mercury ignored his arm, and shoved past him before realizing she had no idea where they were going. She looked over her shoulder to see his smirk come more to life before he started walking outside.  
  
“Where are we going?” She asked sharply at the notion of stepping outside when Dumbledore had forbidden it after dark.  
  
“The Forbidden Forest, there’s something I want to show you.”  
  
“But we can’t go there, it’s against the rules. Dumbledore said—“  
  
“Who gives a damn about what Dumbledore said? Besides, I’m a Prefect, and this is your detention. No complaints, Halvard, or I’ll give you another one.”  
  
Mercury, naturally, opened her mouth to argue but kept her mouth shut, not wanting at all to come back to this spot. So she followed him in silence, though that silence was tense. It felt like hours before they came into an empty clearing. Draco stopped then and looked back at Mercury. He seemed to be searching her face for an answer he didn’t get.  
  
“You don’t see them do you?”  
  
“See what?”  
  
“The thestrals. You can only see them if you’ve seen death before. There standing right here…” as he spoke he reached out and touched something Mercury could not see. “Right in front of me. They’re actually sort of…cute in a way.” Of course, the moment Draco spoke the name of the creature; Mercury knew what he was talking about. Thestrals had always been fascinating creatures; though she had no wish to see them any time soon knowing at what cost it came with. All previous anger towards Draco vanished then. She swallowed her pride for a moment before stepping forward and taking his hand from the air, closing her fingers between his.  
  
He looked down at their hands before pulling away.  
  
“Tell me why you stopped responding to my letters? Tell me why you won’t speak to me even now? You left me when I needed you the most, Mercury. Just tell me why, okay? Can you just do that for me?”  
  
Mercury’s heart was in her throat the instant he uttered that first question. How could she tell him that she had abandoned him because she was afraid of him? Of afraid of whom he followed? She tried so hard not to think of him the rest of the summer; to forget everything he had meant to her that past year. But it was all for nothing now. All those memories were flooding back and she was remembering how fondly she had thought of him. Of that warmth that he hid from the rest of the world because he had to keep appearances for his family’s sake.  
  
“You know why, Draco.” It was all she could say. Otherwise she might start screaming at him.  
  
She looked up and he was there, his hands on either side of her face, searching...  
  
“I’ve never trusted anyone like I trusted you. I told you _everything_ , and you just…left me?” Mercury had never seen him look at her like that before, like she would be the cause of his tears this time. There had been many times last year where he had fallen apart on her shoulder, and she had comforted back to the stoic boy that terrorized the hallways of Hogwarts. But she had never been the cause of those tears. It had always been his father, or the fact that soon he was going to have to go back home to The Dark Lord and there was nothing he could do about it.  
  
“I’m sorry, Draco. I’m…I’m just scared.”  
  
“Of me?”  
  
Mercury looked away from him, his hands still holding her face, and she whispered, ‘yes.’ His right hand moved to take her chin and tilt it to look at him. He continued searching her eyes and then suddenly those cold blue eyes iced over and she was left with the boy that everyone knew so well.  
  
“You shouldn’t be, Halvard. But I can _make_ you fear me. You’ll wish you’d never abandoned me.”

 


	7. Worthless Apologies

Draco watched as Mercury fled back up to Hogwarts. He wasn’t aware he could feel so utterly devastated and disappointed by someone. Mercury had been the closest thing he’d ever had to a true and real friend—not someone who was friends with him for his title, or for the name his father had. Mercury hadn’t cared about any of that. It had been, more along the lines of ‘I enjoy your company when you’re not being a conceited prat.’  
  
Now as he watched her leave him he wanted nothing more to collapse and then to never get up again. But the woods gave him a sinking feeling as he glanced back at the Thestral prodding his shoulder for attention. He had work to do, and even if Mercury wouldn’t be there to help him through it, he had to do it. Otherwise, his father’s life and possibly his was on the line.

 

\--

  
  
Mercury constantly tripped over her own two feet as she barreled up to the Ravenclaw tower. Her heart was pounding in her throat and she felt like a fool for not only letting Draco get the best of her, but for letting him actually scare her into running from him. It had never been like that before, and yet here she was, with her back pressed against the common room door like any moment he’d come in shouting killing curses at anyone who dared get between them.  
  
She had to make this right. The moment he looked at her with those emotionless eyes she knew that he needed to be helped. She knew that he needed guidance and support and possibly a friend. She pressed her hand against her forehead as she considered what a fool she was. He needed her and she had well and truly abandoned him.  
  
She turned around, making to leave and retreat back to the woods but she knew it was futile. He was probably already in his common room. She’d just have to wait until morning until she could speak with him. It was Saturday the next day, there would be no classes. She’d have all the time in the world to find him and apologize. The best thing to do now was to get some rest.  
  
Sleep did not come easily to her that night, however. When she did fall asleep all she could see was a bright green light, and Draco’s angry face behind it. Each time she woke up, covered in sweat, her heart pounding in her throat. After this happened several times she finally decided to just wake up and find him as soon as possible. After cleaning herself up and getting dressed she made her way to the Grand Hall, and instantly caught sight of Missy and Graham having breakfast together. She dodged back behind the door, and peered around, glancing at the Slytherin table.  
  
Draco was nowhere in sight. She checked everywhere he could possibly be—except of course, the Slytherin common room. She checked the Prefect’s bathroom, each and every classroom; she wandered the halls and made way for the Forbidden Forest before getting chased off by Professor McGonagall. She had even braved to ask Pansy Parkinson if Draco was in the common room. She was simply sniffed at and called a rude name before the pig-faced girl trotted off with her friends.  
  
She turned in defeat from the dungeons only to run straight into him. She yelped and instantly covered her mouth, for he was with friends and those friends were even worse than he was when it came to their morals. That cold, dead look was still in Draco’s eyes however.  
  
“What do you think you’re doing, Halvard?” His voice was quiet and cold and Mercury was instantly taken back.  
  
“I…I was looking for you.”  
  
“Well, you found me,” Draco held his arms wide, opening her to whatever question she had. She couldn’t say it in front of Crabbe and Goyle though, she couldn’t bear the thought of them hearing her grovel to Malfoy, but she also feared that should she say the wrong thing it would get him into trouble.  
  
“Can…can I talk to you in private?”  
  
Crabbe snorted then, “I think she wants a shagging, Malfoy! Better give it to her!” With that Crabbe and Goyle, still sniggering, vanished into the common room.  
  
“Are you mad, Halvard?”  
  
“I’m sorry, Draco. I just…I had to see you.” Draco’s eyes widened and for a moment she saw that boy she had missed coming back to life. But in a moment, it vanished. She tried in vain to reignite it. “I’m sorry, Draco. I shouldn’t have said what I did last night.” She reached out to grab his hand, lacing her fingers through his. “I’m here for you…any time you need me.”  
  
It was the wrong thing to say. Draco ripped his hand away. “Stay away from me Halvard. Otherwise you’re going to get hurt.” He shoved past her then, and Mercury wiped furiously at the tears stinging her eyes. She couldn’t tell if it was a fact or if he was threatening her, but in either case, her chest felt constricted and her blood laced with fear.


	8. Mercury Halvard Doesn't Cry

It had been weeks since Mercury had spoken to Draco. Or rather, to the _real_ Draco. Every time she passed him in the halls he would taunt her like he taunted any of the other students. He treated her like she was Hermione Granger, calling her names almost as foul as mudblood and blood traitor. She had to choke back tears almost every day but she knew that he was capable of so much more.  
  
“Mercury, what the hell has been going on with you?” Missy finally said one day at breakfast. Graham was sitting across from the two girls, a piece of bacon midway to his mouth with his eyes darting between them. Clearly, he had been oblivious to Mercury’s mood swings the past few weeks.  
  
Mercury, however, was caught off guard as well. She had been smearing her pancakes across her plate and her fork scraped uncomfortably against the glass. “What do you mean?” Missy gave her a knowing look before lifting her hand to tally off all the reasons.  
  
“All you do anymore is stay up in your room doing homework. You hardly eat, and you won’t even come to the Hogsmeade trips with Graham and me. Those used to be your favorite…and now, well, you look downright miserably.” Missy was staring her friend down, her fingers twirling the short wand she normally had contained in her back pocket. Mercury instantly recognized the nervous habit and rolled her eyes at her friend. “Merc! Don’t pull away from us, you know we’re always here for you.”  
  
“I appreciate that, Missy. But really, it’s nothing. I have to go,” Mercury murmured, before shoving away from her seat and grabbing her pack full of books. She ignored Missy’s calls and stormed out of the Great Hall. When she made it to one of the more private hallways of the castle she sat at one of the window seats and put her head in her hands.  
  
She hadn’t realized it was causing such a difference in her personality, this thing with Draco. She just couldn’t shake the undeniable feeling that because she had turned him away he was going to do something dreadful and it would be all her fault. Not only that, but she was scared. She was scared of what Draco might do, not only to her, but to himself. It wasn’t so long ago that she was positive that Draco would never hurt her ever, and now she wasn’t so sure.  
  
“Mercury?” She glanced up with watery eyes and found Draco standing across from her, standing uncertainly against one of the columns leading into the private-like cul-de-sac. Mercury wiped furiously at her eyes, knowing that she was probably smearing her makeup everywhere, but that was better than letting him see her cry. She couldn’t tell if that look on his face was genuine concern, or a façade but she refused to give into either. “Are you…alright?” Draco asked, stepping slightly further into the cul-de-sac.  
  
Mercury nodded. “I’m just fine,” she whispered, cursing herself when her throat closed up. “Why do you ask?”  
  
Draco chuckled, rolling his eyes. He stepped all the way in then and walked over to her, crouching down so she couldn’t escape his gaze. He touched her bare knee then where a tear had fallen onto, and held the wet digit to show her. “You’re crying.”  
  
“Yeah, well. Been doing a lot of that these days,” Mercury scoffed.  
  
Draco didn’t look ashamed; he didn’t even look slightly miffed at the accusation. He only nodded, with a slight smirk on his face. “I thought Mercury Halvard _never_ cried,” Draco said, before straightening up and sitting next to her. “The Mercury I knew refused to let snide remarks get to her. In fact, she always had something witty to say in return—so witty in fact, that her insulters would be the ones with tears in their eyes,” Draco said that smirk turning into a little smile. He spoke as if he was telling a legend of someone that neither of them knew and Mercury felt small warmth grow in her chest. “The Mercury I knew would’ve knocked a boy flat for even suggesting something vulgar to her. She would _never_ cry.”  
  
Mercury rolled her eyes then, taking her hand and wiping her cheek once more and sniffling. “Yeah, well. The Mercury you knew has been having a rough go.”  
  
“Why’s that?”  
  
“She lost her best friend because she’s an idiot,” Mercury said, her voice breaking once more.  
  
Draco’s hand slid over and took hers then, twining their fingers and pressing his lips to the top of her hand. “No she didn’t,” he said, his eyes meeting hers. She still didn’t trust him, still didn’t believe that he was being genuine. How could he go from being so cruel to being so kind in a heartbeat? It didn’t make sense, and she knew that he had some sort of trick up his sleeve, but she let herself relax for that little moment and pretend that they were best friends again. She let herself smile and lean her head on Draco’s shoulder.  
  
“Good.”


	9. A Day by the Lake

Draco left Mercury on that bench and made his way down to the dungeons where he found Crabbe and Goyle waiting for him. He had to calm himself, and smooth his expression in order to face them. The fear that had plagued him since the night he had seen his father had not left but he couldn’t allow them to see that.  
  
“Malfoy,” they both greeted, and Draco nodded in reply, stepping in front of them both. They followed him willingly, to the end of the dungeon and into the Slytherin common room. “When are you going to tell us what The Dark Lord has planned for you?” Crabbe said as they set down, leaning forward eagerly.  
  
Draco regarded him with disgust before laughing aloud. “You really are an idiot aren’t you Crabbe? Do you really think he would let me tell someone like you? This task has been given to me and to me alone. The day will come when you know what I’ve done,” Draco said, rolling his neck and hearing the satisfying snap.  
  
“Well, have you got it then?” Goyle chimed in. Draco sighed, before pulling two flasks out of his jacket, each one containing a single hair. One from the shirtsleeve of Missy Eisler, and the other from Mercury’s head when she had laid on his shoulder. He felt terrible about making Mercury the one to he stole from but he knew she would be the easiest out of anyone.  
  
“Get to work on the potion,” he said, tossing each of them a flask. The idiots should have started the potion a month ago, but they were too paranoid that they wouldn’t have hairs to use it and it would go bad. Draco knew better than that, but just to ease their minds he stole the hairs—now he had another month until he could truly get to work.  
  
He got up and left the common room once more, figuring he’d spend his Saturday doing something rather than sitting around plotting with Crabbe and Goyle. However, the only person he would really care to do anything with was Mercury…and he wasn’t sure how hard she would take it Monday when he and the rest of the Slytherin’s went back to taunting her.  
  
As he made it into the Great Hall however, he saw her heading to go outside. “Mercury,” he called, and she stopped and turned, hand on the door, eyes wide.  
  
“That’s twice in one day you’ve called me by my first name,” she said when he got closer.  
  
“Yeah, well don’t get used to it, Halvard,” he said with a small smile. “Where are you headed?”  
  
“I was going to sit by the lake,” she murmured, and regarded him quietly. He knew any moment she was going to start questioning his motives. He could either tell her the truth or lie to her but Mercury hadn’t been placed in Ravenclaw for nothing. She would see right through his lies. “You could join me?”  
  
Draco nodded and followed her out there. Not many people were outside that day, most likely from fear of Death Eaters breaking past Dumbledore’s wards. Mercury led them to the edge of the lake where the giant squid was in plain view, soaking in water and spraying it over itself.  
  
The two sat together in the grass and were silent for a long while. There were neither reminiscent conversations nor any talk at all in fact, but the silence was far from comfortable. Mercury felt uneasy knowing she had opened up to him just a few short hours ago when just the other day he had been tormenting her.  
  
“This isn’t going to last, is it?” she asked, still not looking at him. Draco glanced down at her and he knew she could feel his gaze. Mercury had made her choice, to abandon him and to leave him on his own. He knew it was for the best however, he knew that she could never be a part of his world—not if he wanted her to stay alive.  
  
“No,” Draco murmured, before leaning down and kissing her on the cheek. “I’m sorry, Halvard, but it’s not.” The two remained by the lake, watching the squid until the sun went down.

 


	10. Face to Face

A month had passed and Mercury had seen Draco less and less. They hadn’t shared a single pleasant moment together since that day by the lake. Mercury was glad for the amount of homework she had to keep her mind off of him. However, it didn’t stop her from worrying about him. It didn’t take her very long to figure it out however.  
  
Mercury had always known about the Room of Requirements. She had found the stories to be quite fantastic. A room that can create anything you need. She didn’t necessarily know if her needs could be met at that moment but she prayed that they could. She simply wanted a quiet place to think. Somewhere where she could allow herself that moment of breakage she so desperately needed, but it seemed that someone was already using the room.  
  
Or rather, someone was guarding the room. And that someone looked a lot like her.  
  
She was walking down the hallway looking at her feet, her books clutched to her chest, thinking as hard as she could of what the room she wanted looked like and then she looked up. At first, she thought that the Room had turned into a mirror, and she had no idea why it would do that. But then she realized that utterly confused expression that she was wearing did not match her own shocked expression. She lifted a hand, wondering if her reflection would do the same but instead it stood still, staring at her.  
  
“Malfoy!” it shouted in a voice that sounded nothing like hers. She stood there confused for a moment before her ‘other’ self ran away and began frantically pounding on the door that must’ve led to the Room of Requirements. Another utterly familiar figure joined her ‘other’ self.  
  
“Missy?” she gasped, and watched as Missy did not respond but joined the other Mercury in pounding on the door, shouting for Malfoy. Mercury stood there in a daze watching herself and her best friend scream for Draco Malfoy. Then Draco emerged from the door, looking very upset before he caught sight of Mercury and his face drained of any and all color it may have had.  
  
“Draco, what am I doing?” she asked as he came closer to her. She pointed at herself and then at Missy before feeling very faint and then she collapsed in Draco’s arms.


	11. The Truth

Mercury opened her eyes to an empty gray ceiling. Her head was pounding and as she slapped her hand to her head she remembered why. She had witnessed herself and then Missy screaming for Malfoy. If she explained this to anyone however she would sound absolutely insane but she _felt_ insane in that moment. She sat up to find that she was on a green chaise lounge and that Draco was sitting in an similar looking arm chair across from her, his head in his hands looking completely and utterly helpless.  
  
She wanted to scream at him. She wanted to lunge for him and force him to tell her what the _bloody hell_ was going on but instead she took a deep breath and tried to calm her pounding head. “What is going on Draco?” she groaned, kneading her forehead with the palm of her hand.  
  
Draco startled out of his daze and found himself staring at Mercury with wide eyes. She could practically see the cogs in his head working to desperately find a way out of this but Mercury still had her wand on her and if she had to curse the truth from him she would. “Tell me the _truth_ , Malfoy.”  
  
He winced at the unfamiliar name on her tongue and found himself looking at her with hurt blue eyes. Maybe it’s best she knew. Maybe she had a right to know why Crabbe was using polyjuice potion to look like her out in the hallway. Draco took a deep breath before standing and going to sit beside her on the chaise lounge.  
  
“You’re not going to like it,” he warned.  
  
“I already don’t like it,” Mercury grumbled, eying Draco with disdain. “But go on, tell me.”  
  
Draco took a deep breath, running his hands down the length of his face and then finally clearing his throat. “There are some things that I just can’t tell you, okay? I need you to be okay with that before I tell you anything.”  
  
“Okay,” Mercury said, watching Draco carefully. She wasn’t happy that she couldn’t know the whole truth but getting Draco to open this much was a challenge when they were on the best of terms and she would take what she could get.  
  
“You know what I am. You know I’m a Death Eater,” Draco started, unconsciously rubbing at his scarred forearm. Mercury nodded, her face paling. She had known the truth about what he had become for months not but hearing it out loud was almost worse than constantly thinking about it. “The Dark Lord has presented me with a task…as task that only I can do. If I don’t do it he’ll…I think he’ll kill me, or he’ll kill my mother or my father. I _can’t_ let that happen, Mercury. They’re my family. They’re all I have.”  
  
Mercury watched as Draco Malfoy fell apart before her eyes. There were tears in his eyes and she found herself reaching forward and wiping them away. He looked at her in shock, and then tentatively leaned his head against the palm of her hand, closing his eyes. “You have me, Draco,” she cooed, stroking his cheek with her thumb. “I will _always_ be here for you.”  
  
Draco placed his hand over hers then, and twined his fingers through hers before bringing both their hands down to his lap. He toyed with her fingers while he avoided making eye contact at any means. “Maybe…maybe I can help you?”  
  
At that, Draco jerked away from her, sitting straight as a board. “That’s not possible,” he said monotonously, thought she could see that he wanted her help more than anything. She opened her mouth to object and she was startled when he grasped her face in both hands. “I won’t put this on your shoulders too, Mercury. You were right to stay away from me, it’s not safe…I’m not safe.”  
  
“Draco,” she said, clutching at his wrists as he held her face. “What do you have to do?” She could see Draco trying to think of a way to tell her without really telling her. For all she knew he had been cursed to keep it a secret and telling his secret would result in excruciating pain for him, or maybe he would just drop dead.  
  
“I have to kill someone.”


	12. The Vanishing Cabinet

Some irrational part of Mercury’s mind flared up and went insane. She stared at Draco for a moment before abruptly standing and backing away from him. He had to kill someone. Some _one_ what if that someone was she? Or some random person that happened to be in his path? How was she to know who the target was?  
  
Draco stared up at her, bewilderment in his eyes and then understanding. He rolled his eyes before shaking his head at the frightful girl before him. “It’s not you, Halvard,” he muttered. “The person I have to kill was chosen beforehand. I just don’t know how to do it yet.”  
  
“Wouldn’t The Killing Curse do it?” Mercury blurted and immediately slapped a hand over her mouth. She couldn’t _help_ him. She couldn’t sit and give Draco Malfoy pointers on how to murder someone. Instead she should be trying to talk him out of it.  
  
“Yes, theoretically…but somehow I feel like it’ll take more than that. He has to be weakened somehow. He’s no ordinary wizard—I mean he’s much more powerful than most and possibly the only wizard in the world The Dark Lord is afraid of,” Draco murmured, massaging his temples.  
  
Mercury’s mind worked fiercely trying to decipher who it would be. “Harry Potter?” she gasped, and then realized how idiotic the words were. Draco shot her a scathing look and she gave him one in return to show that she realized her mistake. Then it clicked and she felt like a fool. She took a seat next to Draco and took his face in her hands. “He wants you to kill Professor Dumbledore?” she breathed, feeling suddenly faint.  
  
For a moment Draco glanced around fearfully as if He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named could hear them now and would curse him in an instant. When it seemed that would not happen he looked over at Mercury and nodded grimly. There were so many things she wanted to say in that moment but she couldn’t think of the words, nor could she decide if they were the right things to say.  
  
So instead, she took his hand and held it tight. It was the most reassuring thing she could think to do until Draco’s face took on the most pained expression she had ever seen and he wrapped his arms around her waist and planed his face in her chest. His body shook as he sobbed soundlessly and she merely clutched the top of his head and smoothed down his hair. She couldn’t tell him things would be all right, nor could she tell him she would help him through this. She didn’t know if things would be all right and she would absolutely not help him murder Albus Dumbledore.  
  
But she would do everything in her power to stop him from destroying himself.

 

\---

  
  
The next week Katie Bell was in the hospital for touching a cursed necklace that was meant to be a gift for Dumbledore. Mercury knew it was Draco’s doing as she peered into the hospital ward to find a group of Gryffindor’s huddled around Katie’s bed. She made her way to the room of requirements finding two girls standing guard. She knew they were Crabbe and Goyle now and simply glared at them before shoving past them and into the room Draco was in.  
  
Draco had explained to them that Mercury was able to come and go and that she had no idea of the plan. This was a lie however, but Crabbe and Goyle were stupid and bought it, most likely thinking Mercury was there only for Draco’s selfish reasons.  
  
The room was much different than it had been the last time. Now it was like a large storage closet. There were chairs stacked on top of one another and spellbooks as well as wardrobes and owl cages and an assortment of trunks as well. She found Draco standing by an armory with a green apple in his hand. He tossed it up into the air and caught it before placing it into the armory and closing the door. A moment later he opened it and the apple was gone—he closed and opened the door once more and pulled the apple out and she saw that there was a neat bite taken from it.  
  
“What is that?” she asked though she knew very well what it was. “That’s a Vanishing Cabinet, isn’t it?” she blurted and Draco turned, eyes wide as he tried to block the Cabinet with his body.  
  
“What are you doing here?” he hissed, glancing around as if Death Eaters looked in the corners. “You shouldn’t be here, Halvard.”  
  
“I know what you did, Draco. I know that you cursed that necklace and forced Katie Bell to bring it to Dumbledore. You’re a fool if you thought he would’ve fallen for that,” Mercury said, crossing her arms over her chest.  
  
Draco’s cheeks flushed and she watched as his fair skin turned a bright red. “You need to go,” he growled. “ _Now_.”  
  
“There’s no way I’m going to leave you here alone with a working Vanishing Cabinet. What if Death Eaters come flooding out of there next?”  
  
Draco sighed, rubbing the sides of his face. “It’s not fully repaired yet,” he muttered.  
  
“You’re _trying_ to repair it? Draco, the Death Eaters-“  
  
“Will get in the school, yes, I know. That’s the plan, Mercury. It’s also why you need to _go_.”  
  
“Why?” Mercury hissed. “So I can let you let them in? So I can let you kill Dumbledore.”  
  
“Actually, I think he’s just trying to protect you from _me_ ,” came a new high-pitched childish voice.  
  
“Aunt Bellatrix,” Draco breathed.


	13. Incentive

Mercury’s first instinct was to run. But _where_? She was positive that Bellatrix Lestrange was much more skilled than she and were she to do anything the woman didn’t like she would either be killed in an instant or worse. Instead, Mercury remained completely still, her chest heaving with anxiety as she stared into the face of Draco’s aunt.  
  
The woman looked wild, her hair was curled and stuck up everywhere, clearly it hadn’t been brushed in quite some time—her green eyes had a crazed look in them as she grinned maliciously at the couple. Draco had instantly moved in front of Mercury, shielding her from the witch’s gaze.  
  
“Someone can’t keep a secret,” the woman sang, shaking her pointer finger at her nephew. “Naughty Draco is going to have to be punished for that,” she murmured her vicious gaze darting between the two. Draco was visibly shaking before Mercury, but he held his ground as he reached behind him and clutched at Mercury’s wrist.  
  
“What are you doing here, Aunt Bellatrix?” Draco asked, and Mercury could tell he was using the most polite voice he possessed.  
  
“Didn’t you send an apple through to let me know that the cabinet was ready?” Bellatrix murmured, running her fingers along the tops of the wardrobes and looked at her hands in disdain as they came away with dust. “I thought I’d come check on my precious nephew and see how his task is coming along. And I find him getting lectured by a,” Bellatrix glanced over at Mercury and ran her eyes down her robes. “ _Ravenclaw_!”  
  
“Mercury has been helping me,” Draco tried.  
  
“Oh really?” Mercury found herself cringing at the high pitch in her tone. “So she wasn’t just trying to get you _not_ to do the task The Dark Lord gave to you?”  
  
“No! She was trying to help. My last attempt was foolish and she was merely relaying that back to me. I promise Aunt Bellatrix, Mercury would _never_ try and keep me from my task.”  
  
Bellatrix was quiet for a long while. Mercury was trying hard not to break down and cry nor show any signs that Draco was lying. The fact that he was willing to lie to one of the craziest witches in the world—The Dark Lord’s right hand, made her want nothing more than to get Draco out of this.  
  
Suddenly a malicious grin erupted across Bellatrix’s lips. “If that’s indeed the case, and you’ve found yourself a happy helper…why don’t you bring her home for the holidays so that The Dark Lord can meet his new follower. I’m sure he would love to present her with the mark,” Bellatrix giggled, clapping her fingers giddily together.  
  
Mercury’s heart plummeted in her chest at the thought of meeting He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named—but there was no way she would be able to go and not reveal who she was. Her fear there would be so much more evident here. Everything Draco had tried to do was completely futile and as his face fell Bellatrix knew it. Her grin turned twisted and she took a step forward, laughing as Draco and Mercury took one back.  
  
“You’re a fool Draco. To think you can escape your task. Don’t worry, my pet, I won’t tell The Dark Lord of your failure.”  
  
“You won’t?” Draco breathed, his grip on Mercury slipping at the thought of evading punishment.  
  
“No,” she cooed, lifting a finger to trail down the side of Draco’s face. But in an instant, faster than his eyes could follow she had her hand locked around Mercury’s wrist and she was now pressed against Bellatrix with the tip of her wand at her throat. “Instead, I’m going to take your little girlfriend back home, and each time you fail at ridding the world of Dumbledore I will cut something off.”  
  
Hot tears fell down Mercury’s cheek as the tip of the wand dug into her jugular, and she let out a sharp gasp. All the color had drained from Draco’s face in an instant and he simply found himself staring blankly at the scene before him. There was absolutely nothing he could do and both he and Mercury knew it.  
  
“Please…” was all he could say before Bellatrix cackled and disappeared inside the Vanishing Cabinet.  
  
“See you during Holiday!”


	14. Bella's New Toy

Going through the Vanishing Cabinet was a lot like falling through nothing. All that Mercury could see was darkness and the cold grip of Bellatrix’s hand around the back of her neck was the only thing she could feel. Then suddenly she was ungraciously tumbling out of the Cabinet and Bellatrix stepped out like a twisted goddess and grinned maliciously down at Mercury.  
  
Mercury let out a low whimper as she forced herself on her hands and knees and attempted to stand. This earned her a sharp kick to the side and she fell over again. Bellatrix’s laughter echoed throughout the room as she wrapped her fingers in the younger girl’s hair and dragged her over to her a chair.  
  
“Sit down,” she ordered and Mercury struggled into the chair. With a few muttered words, Bellatrix conjured up rope to bind her hands and feet to the chair and then she disappeared.  
  
It took some time for Mercury to stop crying and force herself to focus. She glanced around the room and found that she was sitting in the center of what looked to be a ballroom. There were several silver-ish couches sitting on the side of the walls, but the rest was an expanse of marble floors. The pattern swirled into a point which Mercury’s chair stood atop. There was a magnificent chandelier just above her head and intricately columns all around the room. As she glanced behind her she caught sigh of a staircase and the distinct echo of footsteps could be heard throughout the room.  
  
“Honestly, Bella, I don’t know what cold be so urgent,” came a woman’s voice.  
  
Mercury held her eyes shut as she willed herself to calm down. Whimpering like a child would do her no good in this situation—though the fear in her gut was as irrational as it should be. All she could think of was what they might do to her and if they might actually bring You-Know-Who to meet her. She couldn’t see how on earth she would be that important but who knew? She was with Bellatrix Lestrange and she had no idea where she was—she could be in the same house as him now.  
  
The thought caused her breath to hitch and her heart to beat a little faster. Her nails dug into the flesh of her palms and she closed her eyes and forced back the fresh stream of tears threatening to overflow.  
  
“I’ve brought someone home with me,” Bellatrix answered the woman. “Trust me, Cissy, you’ll want to meet her.”  
  
“What is it, Bella?” Cissy asked tiredly. Bellatrix and Cissy rounded to face Mercury and Cissy’s eyes widened. “Who is this?”  
  
“This is your son’s girlfriend!” Bellatrix giggle. “She was trying to talk him out of his task given by The Dark Lord,” she whispered darkly, glaring hatefully at Mercury.  
  
“Why would you bring her here?” Cissy hissed. “You fool! Did you really think Dumbledore wouldn’t notice a missing student?”  
  
“How’s he got any way of connecting it to us?” Bellatrix defensively asked, circling Mercury and crossing her arm’s around the girls torso. “There’s no way a Death Eater could’ve gotten in without his noticing,” she cooed in the girl’s ear, her eyes still on Cissy. “Dumbledore doesn’t know about the Cabinet, Narcissa. We’re safe. I brought her to make sure your idiot son does what he’s told. Then he can have her back, safe and sound. Until then…well, I have myself a new toy. Isn’t that right, pretty?”


	15. Just Breathe

Mercury let out what had to be her hundredth scream. Her whole body felt as if it was on fire and she couldn’t control the muscle spasms wracking her skeleton. Tears streamed down the sides of her face as she stared up at the chandelier on the Malfoy’s ceiling. She had bitten her tongue and blood was now bubbling out over her lips and dribbling down her chin.  
  
Bellatrix whispered the curse once more and another strangled scream escaped Mercury’s mouth. She didn’t know how long she had been there, she didn’t even know if it had been more than a few hours. All she knew was that everything hurt and she wanted to die.  
  
The woman had questioned her relentlessly about her family and about Draco, wondering if he was faltering in his loyalty to the Dark Lord. Mercury tried her best to give answers that Bellatrix wanted to hear but no matter the answer she always earned herself some type of punishment. She felt that the only thing keeping her alive was her relationship with Draco and the fact that she was a pure blood.  
  
No matter what the conversation was she only talked fondly of pure bloods and how they planned to rid the world of mudblood and filthy halfbreeds. Mercury didn’t care; she just wanted the pain to stop. The woman let out a loud sigh before pressing the toe of her boot into Mercury’s chest and forcing her completely on her back.  
  
“I can see why Draco likes you,” she said, stepping over the girl so that she could crouch down and grab her chin, forcing Mercury to look into her eyes. “Most people would be begging for death by now,” she said with a toothy smile.  
  
“Please…” Mercury tried to say but only a wheeze escaped her lips and she let her eyes flutter shut as she tried desperately to get a full breath of air. Her chest lifted rapidly and she felt as if any moment her heart would give out or her lungs would just give up then and there.  
  
Bellatrix left for a moment then as Mercury lay there slowly attempting to crawl away, or to shelter herself, or _something_ but instead she found herself merely rolling into a ball and cradling her bleeding fingernails to her chest. She had dug them into the floorboards as Bellatrix cursed her as an attempt to anchor herself to this world, and instead found them cracked and bloody.  
  
A shrieking laugh filled the room and Mercury found herself cringing as the sound pierced her ears. She could hear the distinct sounds of Bellatrix’s footsteps, or rather her skips. She entered the room and skipped over to Mercury before kicking her on her back again, this time however, she was armed not with her wand but with a shiny, wicked-looking dagger.  
  
Mercury let a low whimper escape her lips as Bellatrix straddled her and grinned maniacally.  
  
“Remember the promise I made baby Draco? If he failed again that I’d cut something off?”  
  
Mercury felt her heart drop in her stomach and if it hadn’t already happened, the blood would’ve drained from her face. “Well, he tried to give Dumbledore a jug of bloody poisoned mead,” she giggled. “What should I take?” she murmured, scanning the girl’s body for something to remove.  
  
“I think we’ll start with something small,” she giggled, trailing her knife down the girls arm to rest near her pinky finger. “I don’t think you’ll miss this too much.”

 


	16. Home for the Holidays

The holidays couldn’t have come fast enough. Draco Malfoy was in a complete tizzy for those few weeks that Bellatrix had Mercury. He did everything he could think of to make Bellatrix proud, but he knew that the one thing he needed to do to he wouldn’t be able to. He sat and thought often that Mercury would want him to do it—but then Mercury wasn’t the spineless bastard he was. He thought that perhaps, she would be willing to endure the torture if it meant saving another’s life…especially Dumbledore’s.  
  
There came a time where he couldn’t bare the thought of what his aunt must be doing to her so he came up with the idiotic plan to send him the poisoned mead. God, what Bellatrix must’ve done to Mercury when she found out. He didn’t want to know.  
  
The holidays finally came and he was allowed to take the train back home. He would’ve just used the damn vanishing cabinet but he knew that somehow they would notice he’d just disappeared and that entire plan would be foiled. So instead he boarded the train with the rest of his classmates, and sat with a fixed smirk on his face as Crabbe and Goyle joked about things nobody cared about and fixated on the fact that they were soon to be official Death Eaters.  
  
He practically sprinted off the train in a hurry to find his mother and get home. He caught sight of her gray face in the crowd and walked with all the patience he could muster until he finally came eye to eye to her and she gave him a look of remorse. “She’s still alive?” was all he said, knowing his mother knew full well what was going on in her home.  
  
“Hardly,” she said, before taking him lightly by the elbow and apparating with him to the Malfoy manor. They arrived just outside the door, where he broke away leaving his luggage at the door with his mother, and darted inside where he began incessantly calling Mercury’s name.  
  
“No love for your auntie Bellatrix?” came the crooning voice of his aunt. She appeared at the top of the stairs, spinning a wicked looking dagger in her hands.  
  
“Where is she?” Draco demanded, feeling brave for a moment. He never spoke back to anyone in his family; he had learned that the hard way. But in this instant as he stood at the foot of the stairs staring up at his insane aunt, he felt like a man.  
  
“Waiting for you, dearie. I’ve set her up all nice and cozy in your room.” Without another word, Draco spun on his heel and sprinted to his room. “You’re welcome!” Bellatrix called after him, giggling.  
  
Draco nearly busted the door down in his eagerness to find Mercury and when he caught sight of her he wished he never had. She was lying crumpled on his bed, her eyes closed but her body shaking fervently. Her hand was wrapped in a bloody white cloth, and she held it close to her body, whimpering ever so slightly as her body was wracked by wave after wave of hysterical quiet sobs. She didn’t look like the Mercury he knew. There was no life in her face. Her hair was matted and greasy, her skin looked sallow and gray and when she opened her eyes at the sound of the door opening they were dull.  
  
“Draco,” she croaked, remaining where she was but there was a slight spark in her gaze. It took all Draco had not to collapse where he stood and give up everything. He dragged himself over to her, lifting her onto his lap where he numbly pushed her hair away from her face.  
  
“I am so sorry,” he whispered, staring blankly at the wall. “I promise you, Mercury, if it’s the last thing I do. I’m going to get you out of here.”

 


	17. Emotion is for the Weak

Mercury lay in a ball on Draco’s bed, clean for the first time in weeks with her hand neatly bandaged and placed under her head. Draco had cleaned her up nicely, helping her bathe while keeping his face down while trying to ignore the fact that she was completely vulnerable and bare before him. It was an odd experience blushing in front of a naked girl. Draco had had his share of girls naked before him but when it was Mercury…Mercury who he had never even considered to be among that crowd of girls, it was something different entirely.  
  
She wore a plain black t-shirt of his and a pair of pajama bottoms. When Draco came to visit her later that night he had a sandwich and a bowl of soup prepared for her, which she eagerly ate while he watched her intently. He was waiting for her to snap on him. To say something, but since the night he came home all she said to him was thank you and then she would close her eyes and fall asleep.  
  
His aunt hadn’t said a word to him about the fact that she had kidnapped and tortured Mercury in order to persuade him to do his task. She hadn’t even mentioned The Dark Lord, which made him increasingly uneasy. He knew that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named had been staying with him, though his whereabouts now were unknown. He was looking for something, that much was certain, but he wasn’t sure what.  
  
All he and his family talked about, if they talked about anything was how he was too complete his task and his father and how he was rotting away in Azkaban. That was the only thing keeping Draco going, was the fact that if he killed Dumbledore his father would be out of Azkaban and maybe he wouldn’t have to kill anyone else, or maybe he would be able to escape with his family. He knew this would never happen but it was a shred of hope he was clinging on to.  
  
One day at dinner, however, while they sat in silence eating their lamb, the only sound being the screech of their silverware against their plates did Bellatrix finally speak about the hostage in Draco’s bedroom. Mercury had done the same thing she’d done for the past week, sleep in Draco’s room, and eat the food he gave her with nothing but a thank you. He stayed with her most of the time, watching her lay silently in his bed wondering what she was thinking of. He often spoke to her, told her stories of things that had happened at school and the homework she was lucky that she missed. He told her that there were search parties for her and that Dumbledore was devastated that she had gone missing—they kept the disappearance quiet for the most part, not wanting to alert the press and cause a panic among the parents. The official report was that Mercury had been taken on a Hogsmeade trip. But Draco and Dumbledore both knew better.  
  
“How’s your girlfriend?” said Bellatrix casually one evening, causing Draco to choke on the bit of lamb he had been absently chewing on. “Haven’t heard a peep out of her in days. I actually miss her pretty little face.”  
  
“Sh-she’s asleep,” he stuttered out.  
  
“Well go and wake her up!” Bellatrix demanded, taking a bite of her food and shooing Draco away. His heart fell in his stomach as he stood up, walking to his bedroom. What the hell was he going to say to her? _My aunt, the one who cut off your finger and tortured you for weeks wants to see you for dinner._  
  
He pushed open the door, glancing over to the bed expecting to find Mercury in the exact same position that he had left her in but instead found an empty spot. There was a sudden pounding in his ears as he thought of what might’ve happened. What if this was a cruel joke on Bellatrix’s part? What if she had killed Mercury while he was away? What if she had done something to her? Just as he was about to run out to the dining room he heard a noise coming from his bathroom.  
  
Taking a hesitant step in the direction, he peeked behind him to make sure that his aunt or the house elf or whoever wasn’t watching. “Mercury?” he whispered, taking another step toward the door. The sound came again and he recognized it immediately as the sound of Mercury’s sobs. He knew she hadn’t disappeared completely—he shouldn’t have felt relieved to hear her crying but seeing her so void of emotion like she had been the past few days was worse than seeing her laying dirty on his bed with a missing finger.  
  
He opened the door and found her bent over the toilet, her arms shaking as she gripped the edges and retched into it. Draco stared at her, unsure of what to do or to say but she merely wiped her mouth and looked up at him. “I can’t keep it down,” she whispered, and let another cry escape. “Everything I try and eat just comes back up. I’m just…I’m hungry and I’m tired and…you left me here, Draco. You left me here with _her_ and _everything_ hurts. Can you please just make it stop?”  
  
Draco collapsed beside her and wrapped his arms around her. She tried to fight him off, struggled feebly before letting him hold her.  
  
“Please make it stop.”

 


	18. Apologies, Coco

Draco had successfully gotten Mercury into bed, and slipped a sleeping potion into her cup. After she sipped the water thankfully, she fell in an instant sleep and Draco was left with only his aunt to worry about. He found himself staring at Mercury, how her face was littered with bruises and scratches, and how even in sleep she looked terrified. He could only imagine what her dreams were like.  
  
“I am so sorry, Mercury,” Draco whispered, running his hand down the side of her face. “This is all my fault. If I had just let you be, if I hadn’t forced you into talking to me again you never would’ve worried about me. You were right to keep your distance; if I’d let you…you wouldn’t be here now. You’d be safe in your bed, instead of in mine.”  
  
A soft groan escaped Mercury’s lips and she turned on her side, her curly blonde hair falling over her face. He brushed her hair away from her face and leaned over, pressing his lips to her temple before getting up and leaving his room after taking a deep breath. Just as he closed the door behind him he heard his aunt shouting for him. He cringed at the sound of her voice before swallowing thickly and making his way to the dining room.  
  
He’d been gone longer than he thought. His mother and aunt’s plates were bare now, while his had been taken away. Dessert trays replaced the trays before them. “Well,” Bellatrix snapped. “Where is the pretty little Ravenclaw?”  
  
“She…she isn’t feeling well. I don’t think she’s up to coming out tonight.”  
  
“Well, that’s awfully rude of her! If she won’t come out when asked nicely then maybe I should drag her out by those pretty little locks of hers,” Bellatrix snarled, beginning to stand.  
  
“No!” Draco cried, holding his hands out and causing Bellatrix to freeze in her position. “Please, Aunt Bella. She apologizes and promises to join us tomorrow evening. She…she had already eaten dinner and was made sick by it, so she’s sleeping it off.”  
  
“Sick?” hissed Narcissa, looking at the bare plate before her in disgust. “What’s wrong with the food? Have they poisoned us?” she asked, clutching her throat and retching while Bellatrix laughed maniacally.  
  
“Well if poor Miss. Ravenclaw was made sick by dinner I think someone should be held accountable! Coco!”  
  
Draco sighed, relieved that it was just a measly house elf that would pay the price and Mercury would be safe. But still, he couldn’t help but feel bad for the elf that appeared beside Bellatrix looking terrified. He excused himself quietly, knowing his mother could hear him before retreating back to his bedroom.  
  
When he opened the door he half expected to find Mercury in the bathroom once again, but she remained curled in a ball in the upper corner of his bed. With a sigh he sat beside her and closed his eyes, drifting off into his own fitful sleep. Somehow he knew the next day wouldn’t be as easy…somehow he knew something was coming.

 


	19. The Ultimatum

The next morning Draco opened his eyes with a start as something crashed outside. He glanced toward the bed finding that Mercury was not where he left her. He leaped from the chair, racing out to the hallway where he found shards of broken glass and one of the house elves sweeping it up. The elf glanced at him and nearly shuddered at the sight of him—no doubt because he was the cause of Coco’s death, if she was lucky enough for that fate.  
  
“A girl walked out of my bedroom, just now,” he said, assuming that she had caused the crash. “Where is she?” he demanded, towering over the little quivering elf.  
  
“Miss. Halvard went to the foyer, Master Malfoy,” the elf squeaked. Draco than brushed past him sprinting to the foyer only to find Mercury, in nothing but one of his t-shirts, trying to desperately force open a window to no avail. As he neared he saw that her fingers were bloodied most likely from trying every window in the room, and that haunted look was gone from her eyes.  
  
“Mercury,” he hissed, glancing around him in fear of his aunt or his mother appearing. “What the hell are you doing?”  
  
Mercury stiffened, before turning, a familiar fire burning in her eyes as she glared at him. In just that look he knew that the Mercury he knew and loved as back and the broken girl that had been crying in his arms was buried deep down. “I’m getting the hell out of here,” she growled. “Since clearly you’re not going to get me home, I’m going to have to do it myself.”  
  
“Are you insane?” Draco hissed, stepping close and placing his hands firmly on her shoulders. “Bellatrix could be here any moment, you don’t know who you can run into out here Mercury. They could kill you!”  
  
“Now Draco,” came a high, cold voice from behind them. The look on Mercury’s face confirmed Draco’s worst fears as he slowly turned around, shielding her from the owner of the voice. Lord Voldemort stood before them in nothing but shredded black robes, his arms raised in welcome as he stared at the two of them. “Why on _Earth_ would Bellatrix want to kill your guest?”  
  
Draco merely stuttered mutely as he kept his arms protectively wrapped around Mercury. Bellatrix could be seen standing directly behind Voldemort, giggling menacingly at the two. Draco had never gotten used to The Dark Lord’s appearance, the way his face resembled a snake’s more than a man’s and how his eyes were mere red glowing slits in his face.  
  
Voldemort took a step closer and shook his head sympathetically in Draco’s direction. “I’m very disappointed with you Draco. I thought you could handle the task I gave to you,” he murmured.  
  
“I can!” Draco said automatically, but immediately regretted it when Mercury’s nails brought him back to reality.  
  
“Clearly not. Two failed attempts already and all you care about is this girl. I should kill her now, and leave you nothing to worry about…but the world is lacking so in Pureblooded witches that we need all we can get. Since you’re fond of her Draco I will allow her to live…for now,” he cooed, a wicked smile appearing on his lips. “But if you fail once more to kill Dumbledore, I will kill your friend and then I’ll kill you.”


	20. True Face

The bus back to Hogwarts was somehow different. They had gotten there early, grabbed their own compartment and had made sure that no one would come in. They sat in silence until they heard the bustling that made there were other passengers finally getting on board and felt they were able to breathe freely once more when the engine started revving up. Mercury let out a shaky breath while Draco stood abruptly and began pacing in the small space.  
  
“What the hell am I gonna do?” he said to himself, over and over again nearly pulling out his hair while Mercury kept quiet. What could she say to him? Kill Dumbledore? Let her die? She wanted neither to happen but one of the two was going to happen no matter what and she could do nothing to sway anyone’s decision not when she the matter was so personal to her.  
  
After The Dark Lord had set his terms Mercury hadn’t said a single word to him. Draco had somehow known that she hadn’t lapsed again into her traumatized state, though she still remained traumatized. She kept quiet because she didn’t know what to say, or rather she feared it with The Dark Lord so close at home. Her eyes followed his rapid movements until she gently lifted a hand and placed it on his elbow.  
  
He looked down at her before nearly collapsing in the seat beside her. “I’m so sorry, Mercury,” he whispered and she couldn’t help the smile that cracked on her lips.  
  
“You keep apologizing to me.”  
  
Draco didn’t know how much he needed to hear her voice because the instant it rang out he instantly felt better. Not so much so that he wasn’t tearing himself apart on the inside, but enough to breathe normally again. “Because this is all my fault.”  
  
“You don’t believe in fate? Maybe this was all meant to happen. Maybe I’m supposed to die.”  
  
“Mercury, no, don’t say that. This is…this whole situation is so messed up. Tell me what you want me to do,” he whispered, taking her hands and getting on his knees. She had to glance up into the bright fluorescent bulb above them to keep herself from crying.  
  
What the hell did she say to that? She blinked rapidly, before expelling a deep breath and looking into his bright blue eyes, searching. He looked so lost…unlike she remembered him from just one short year ago. He was so pompous once, so arrogant and proud and now he hated himself and everything he was. He was torn between who he wanted to be and who he was and somehow she was the one thing standing in his way.  
  
“I don’t want to die, Draco,” she whispered. “I want you to kill him so that I can live but you can’t do that. You can’t. You can’t let him destroy you, no matter what happens to me.”  
  
“Either way I’m murdering somebody,” Draco said coldly, releasing her hands and standing. “Either way someone’s blood will be on my hands, and I…I can’t let it be yours.”  
  
“Why do you care so much about what happens to me, Malfoy?” she laughed, sniffing as she wiped away fallen tears with the back of her hand. “I’m just one girl.”  
  
“You’re my best friend,” he laughed, dryly. “The only real friend I’ve ever had and because of me you could die.”  
  
A long silence passed between the two before Mercury finally spoke again, letting out a deep breath before. “Let’s not talk about that now. How are we going to explain my sudden reappearance? And this…” she said, holding up her hand that was neatly bandaged now but was so obviously missing a finger. Voldemort had made a big point of explaining how he could return her missing digit without a problem but he wouldn’t because it would forever be a reminder to both her and to Draco that he was watching their every move.  
  
“I can’t believe we didn’t think of that before,” he gasped, sitting down and glancing out the window absently. “They didn’t even bother giving us a cover story… I’m so screwed,” he whispered.  
  
Mercury stood and sat beside him, placing her hand, the one with the missing pinky, over his. “We’ll think of something Draco. Everything will be alright,” she said shakily, before retracting her hand and wiping another lone tear away.  
  
Everything was very far from alright.


	21. Dumbledore's Office

Almost immediately Mercury was separated from Draco. Crabbe and Goyle had confiscated him and Mercury was left feeling utterly alone in the center of a crowd of curious students. She felt frail and skeletal as though if any one of them touched her she would shatter into a million pieces. None of them asked her any questions; they all just murmured quietly among themselves, staring pensively at the girl with the bruised cheeks and the bandaged hand.  
  
It didn’t take long for Professor McGonagall to appear however. Just as Mercury felt as though she were going to faint from the added pressure and sudden heat the crowd parted and the Professor appeared. Professor McGonagall had always been Mercury’s favorite, she had found transfiguration amazing and had wanted nothing more than to learn to be an Animagus so that she too could morph herself into a cat or something of the sort. As the Professor walked towards her she nearly burst out into tears seeing the look of astonishment on the teachers face.  
  
She placed her hands to her mouth before nearly tripping over herself in a very un-McGonagall way and wrapped her arms around the slender girl. “Oh, Miss Halvard,” she gasped, as Mercury shook in her arms. “I thought we’d lost you.”  
  
Just as quickly though Professor McGonagall maintained herself and put a gentle hand on Mercury’s shoulder before pulling her in silence toward Dumbledore’s office. She knew this was inevitable and that it had to be done but her heart leapt in her throat as they walked down the halls, students staring at the battered girl and the tear-stained Professor.  
  
What was she going to say to him? How was she going to explain where she was and what had happened to her? She didn’t have long to think however because in just a matter of moments they were standing before a statue of a gargoyle that hopped aside when Professor McGonagall uttered ‘cabbage patch’ to it.  
  
They ascended the stairs and then Mercury found herself face to face with the door leading to Professor Dumbledore’s office. She had never before been to this room before and nor had she imagined it would be so incredible. There were books everywhere, and strange bobbles and doodads scattered among the various counters in the room. On the far side she saw the Sorting Hat brought out at the opening feast of every year and in the direct center of the room a grand desk scattered with papers and books as well.  
  
Beside the desk was a bird stand and atop the bird stand was a beautiful bird, a Phoenix. She stared in wonder at the bird that was humming quietly, eyes closed as it swayed gently to its own tune. “This is Fawkes,” came the calm voice of her Headmaster. She glanced over to where he was standing, and could’ve sworn he hadn’t been there just a moment before.  
  
He was directly behind the desk smiling warmly at Mercury. “He’s beautiful,” Mercury said in response.  
  
“I’m sure if he could speak he would tell you ‘thank you’. Minerva, you may step outside if you wish.” A loud sniffle sounded beside Mercury and Professor McGonagall stepped outside. “Please, Miss Halvard, take a seat.”  
  
Mercury did as she was asked and her heart was still pounding in her chest. Dumbledore sat across from her and issued her another warm smile. “How did you enjoy your winter break?”  
  
The question made her laugh, but it was a sort of insane laughter that she quieted forcefully to a giggle, clapping her hand over her mouth as she watched as Dumbledore’s expression fell. “I see,” he whispered, looking down his nose through his crescent shaped glasses. “I know all about it, unfortunately,” Dumbledore said quietly causing Mercury to jerk her head up. “There’s no need to go into details Miss Halvard, I know what tortures you endured and I only have just found out otherwise I promise you, I would’ve found a way to free you.”  
  
“If you know where I was…”  
  
“Then I also know about the ultimatum that Voldemort gave to the young Mr Malfoy.”  
  
Somewhere, something in Mercury released and all the weight on her shoulders lifted. He knew! He knew! If he knew than he could fix it. Tears welled in her eyes and she stared at Dumbledore in wonder and he gave her a sad little smile.  
  
“Don’t worry, Miss Halvard. You are safe.”

**Author's Note:**

> Guys! I am so beyond excited to write this story. I've read every Harry Potter book and watched all the movies so I can safely say that my spelling and facts should be accurate from this point on. This is a Draco Malfoy story and will be centered on the sixth book. So Draco will be nice and angsty. With any luck I'll be able to keep the events of the sixth book in order but keep them in Mercury's perspective. There will be Harry Potter sightings of course, but like I said this is focused on Draco. :) I hope you enjoy! Comments are always appreciated.


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